Jess Hazell shines as Somerset keep play-off hopes alive

At the Cooper Associates Ground, Somerset beat Lancashire by five wickets to keep their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup women's competition alive thanks to Jess Hazell's career-best innings.

With Emma Corney and Katie Jones for the fourth and fifth wickets, respectively, the 22-year-old academy graduate struck an unbeaten 77 off 85 deliveries as Somerset chased a target of 241 with 13 balls remaining. He also hit eight fours and a six. On Saturday at The Oval, Corney scored 51 from 78 balls and Jones scored 47 from 39 balls to set up a qualification decider against Surrey.

After losing the toss, Lancashire made 240 for 9 with Seren Smale scoring the most runs with 82 from 106 deliveries and dominating a stand of 126 runs in 24 overs with Fi Morris, who hit a 64-ball 56. 3-41 was Ellie Anderson's total.

After reducing their opponents to 74 for 4 in the 19th over, Somerset made the decision to bowl on an old Taunton surface. Ellie Threlkeld was run out for 20 after a mix-up with Smale, Alex Griffiths pinned Eve Jones lbw for 9, Chloe Skelton removed Tilly Kesteven with her first delivery, and Ireland captain Gaby Lewis made a swift 36 before sweeping Lola Harris to Hazell backwards of square.

By the time Smale and Morris came together, Somerset's spinners had successfully restricted the rate to 3.5 and Lancashire's fifth-wicket pair had their work cut out to rectify a below-par start. Exercising patience in the face of spin, these two expertly manipulated the field to establish themselves, raising 50 from 69 deliveries, and then found acceleration when the seamers returned. Morris needed nine fewer deliveries to reach the same milestone, but Smale reached fifty in 71 balls, the partnership's highest total.

Morris misplaced her arm too often and holed out to Anderson off Skelton with the score 200 for 5 in the 43rd, giving Somerset and Jazz Westley a break from their stolen sixes. Lancashire failed to fully press home their advantage thereafter, Anderson taking three wickets in five balls, including that of Smale, to check northern ambition.

The home team reached the halfway point on 95 for 3, with Bex Odgers, Sophie Luff, and Niamh Holland all falling to ill-advised shots in Somerset's response. Odgers gave Sophie Morris the lead but missed a straight one, and Luff missed a drive to midfield and left for 23 after mistiming it. When Holland came down the pitch and was bowled by Venus Veerappulli for 15, Somerset were 87 for 3 and in need of a substantial partnership.

As a result, Corney and Hazell put on pressure on the bowlers once more with a 55-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Corney made her first fifty of the season from 73 deliveries in her seventh innings after returning from a long-term injury. However, after being sent back by Hazell, she was run out by a throw from Smale from deep.

Hazell made a half century from 65 balls after being dropped by Darcey Carter on 28 at deep backward square. Jones played brilliantly, taking advantage of the short leg-side boundary to hit two sixes and three fours and bring Somerset back from the brink.